Stocking-supporter.



PATENTED OGT.16, 1906.

G. J. MURDOGK. STOCKING SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. '7. 1905.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY UNIT D STATES PATENT oErroE.

I GEORGE J. MURDOCK, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. I U STOCKING-SUPPORTEH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. Mnnnoon, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certainnew and useful Improvements in Stocking-Supporters', ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in stockingsupporters, andcomprises means whereby the stocking is supported not by a garter orsimilar device worn around the leg, but by a device secured tothewearers shoe.

My invention comprises a stocking-supporting strut, preferably flexible,adapted to be secured to the shoe and to support the stocking at some hiher point.-

Other features 0 my invention will be pointed out hereinafter andparticularly specified in claims.

The objects of my invention are to im prove the construction andoperation of stocking-supporters; to avoid the many objections togarters and similar devices worn around the leg; to provide astocking-supporter which shall be efficient, which shall conformperfectly to the movements of the wearer, and of which the wearer shallbe practically unconscious while the device is in use, and to make thedevice simple, inexpen-. sive, and reliable.

I will now proceed to describe my invention, with reference to theaccompanying drawin s, illustrating one form of the device, and thenpoint out the novel features in claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 shows a side view of the stockin-supporter in use. Fig. 2 is a side view of t e device attached and isapproximately full size. Fig. 3 shows an end view of the bottom clasp,and Fig. 4 shows a side view of such clasp.

It is well known that garters and similar stocking-supporters which areworn around the leg are injurious in their tendency, being a t j torestrict the circulation. Moreover, t ey often cause much discomfort.Their clasps are obj ectionably thick, and at times they-becomeimfastened' or slip over the calf of the leg and fall down.

My improved stocking-supporter instead of bein fastened about the leg ofthe wearer is not astened to the leg at all, but to the shoe, andinstead of being a suspension device it is a strut secured at or nearits lower end to the shoe and secured at a higher point to the stocking.It is preferably formed of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 7. 1905- Serial NO. 286.188.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

piano-wire or other strong but flexible mate I rial and when properlyadjusted to the shoe with means for attaching it to a stocking.

The clasp for attaching the device to a shoeupper is'formed by merelybending the wire into a spiral coil of two or more turns. As shownparticularly in Figs. 3 and at, these turns preferably approach closelyat the top and bottom of the coil and arespread at the sides of the coilin order to facilitate the at 'tachment of the device to the shoe-upper.

In applying the device to a shoe it is held nearly horizontally, whichbrings an open portion 2 of the bottom clasp 8 opposite the top edge ofthe shoe-upper, the distance be-- tween the coils at this point 2 beingsuch that the edge of the shoe-upper may be inserted between the coilsreadily. This is done, and then the device is swung upward to asubstantially vertical position, the clasp 3 turn ing upon the upper, soas to bring the latter between the coils at point 4, where said coilsare normally close together. This portion of the clasp pinches theshoe-upper tightly, and

thus holds the device 1 to the shoe firmly.

The device for securing the stockingsupporter to the stocking is alsosimple, comprising a pin-point 5, surrounded by a guard ring 6. As soonas the stocking-supporter has been secured to the shoe, as abovedescribed, and turned into the nearly-vertical position a portion ofstocking near, but preferably slightly below, thepoint 5 is pressedthrough the ring 6 and over the point 5, the wire being sprung slightlyto permit this. As soon as the wire is released it rings back straight,raising and stretching tie stocking slightly. The guard-ring 6 at onceholds the material of the stocking from passing too far down on thewire, prevents the stocking from been uning detached from the point 5,arid pre vents said point from sticking into the lit s11 of the wearer.I do not limit myself to the use of these particular devices forfastening the stticking-supporter to the shoe and to the stocking; butthe some are simple, easily made,-ellicient. and thoroughlysatisfactory.

W'heu the stocking-supporter is in use, it yields readily to themovements ol" the ankle, because of the flexibility of the wire of whichit composed, and does not restrict or impede in the least the movementsof the ankle. Neither does it restrict the circulation, and, in feet,the wearer will become unconscious of its presence almost instantly.

if desired, the upper portion of the stocking may be turned down overthe ring 6, forming a second covering for the point 5 and eil'eetuzillypreventing disengagement of the stocking from the device. It will beobvious that to disengage the stocking from'the device when it isdesired to do so is the work of but an instant. It is unnecessary toremove the device from the shoe when tekingotl' the letter.

What I claim is 1. A st ielring-supporter comprising a strut flexible inall directions and provided with means for attaching it to the shoe andto the stocking of the wearer.

2. A stoeking-supporter comprising a. strut provided with means forengaging a stocking and with a shoe-clasp comprising spiral coilsadapted to grip a shoe-upper between them.

3. A stocking-supporter comprising a. strut provided with means forengaging a. stocking and with a shoe-clasp comprising coils which 1 arerelatively close together near the bottom of the coil and are relativelyfar apart near one side of the coil.

4. A stocking-supporter comprising a strut provided with means forattachment to a shoe and with a stocking-fastening comprismg a point anda. guard-ring surrounding the 5. A stockingsupporter comprising a pieceof flexible wire having at one end spiral spring-coils adapted to graspa shoe between them, and at the other end having a stocking-fastening.

6. A stocking-supporter comprising a piece of flexible wire having atone end a point and a guard surrounding the same and having at the otherend a shoe-clasp.

7. A stocking-supporter comprising a single piece offlexible spring-wirebent at one end into a ring, the end of the wire forming a pointprojecting into the ring, the other end of the wire bent to form a.shoe-clasp.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE J. MURDOCK.

Witnesses:

Tnos. E. MURDocK, CHARLES J. KIERAN.

